In today's world of air travel in the United States, it is encouraged that commercial passengers remove their shoes prior to passing through a primary screening at a primary security checkpoint in order to speed the screening process. The shoes and any carry-on luggage are separated from the passenger and are passed through an X-ray machine. Passengers must pass through a metal detector and may walk a considerable distance without their shoes through the primary security checkpoint. Quite often, the passenger will not be wearing socks and will be forced to walk through the primary security checkpoint in his or her bare feet.
Some passengers are subject to a secondary screening at a secondary security checkpoint. In the secondary screening, the passenger is taken into a separate area and is hand checked and/or screened using a hand held metal detecting wand. If the passenger had not already removed their shoes during their pass through the primary security checkpoint, the passenger is required to remove their shoes for this secondary screening. If the passenger is required to undergo secondary screening, the passenger cannot retrieve their carry-on luggage until after the secondary screening. As a result, the passenger is either bare foot or has socks on during this secondary screening.
It is known to provide a two foot by six foot runner which has been treated with an antimicrobial agent at a primary security checkpoint. The antimicrobial agent inhibits growth of microbes, such as viruses and fungi (Athlete's foot), which can be easily transmitted by passengers walking without shoes through a primary security checkpoint, and therefore the runner protects passengers from foot infections as they traverse through the primary security checkpoint. The runner has a marking prominently displaying that the runner is treated with an antimicrobial agent, which increases passenger confidence in removing their shoes during their passage through the primary security checkpoint. The marking is provided on the runner by adhering a non-antimicrobial label to the runner. The label therefore does not protect the passengers against foot infections.
In the secondary security checkpoint, it is known to provide a two foot by three foot mat that has not been treated with an antimicrobial agent. The mat has a pair of colored soles of shoes painted thereon for the passenger to stand upon during the secondary screening. The paint used to paint the colored feet has not been treated with an antimicrobial agent. As a result, the mat and paint provide possible transmission points for foot infections. Moreover, the paint on the mat degrades to the point of cracking over time because of use.
The present invention provides a runner and a mat which overcomes the problems presented in the prior art and which provides additional advantages over the prior art, such advantages will become clear upon a reading of the attached specification in combination with a study of the drawings.